This invention relates to football kicking tees of the type used for support of a standard, ellipsoidal football during kickoffs, on-side kicks, field goals, and extra points, as well as the practice of the same. In the sport of football, the football is typically supported by a kickoff tee during kickoffs and on-side kicks. Additionally, at the high school level or below, the football is placed atop a placement tee during field goals and extra points.
Several kicking techniques have been developed with respect to both kicking off and placekicking, and various kicking tees have been designed to accommodate the different techniques. For example, some kickoff and placement tees are designed for a kicker using a so called “straight-away” kicking style, where the kicker approaches the football from directly behind the football and the kicking tee. The kicker then makes contact with the football with the toe portion of his foot and kicks the football using a kicking motion in which his leg more or less follows the intended trajectory of the football. Other tees in the prior art have been designed specifically for kickers using a so called “soccer” kicking style. Kickers who have adopted the soccer kicking style typically approach the ball from an angle behind the football and the kicking tee. The kicker then makes contact with the ball with the instep of his foot, a portion on the inside of the foot between the toe and the ankle. Both the straight-away and soccer kicking styles are suitable for kickoffs, on-side kicks, and placement kicks.
Regardless of a kicker's kicking style, a kicking tee must be suitable for both supporting a football prior to the kick and releasing a football kicked therefrom. Many tees in the prior art that concentrate on providing additional support to a football prior to the kickoff sacrifice a free release of the football from the tee. Conversely, many tees that emphasize a free release of the football provide poor support for the football prior to the kick. Additionally, kicking tees that have been designed with straight-away kickers in mind are not suitable for soccer style kickers and, conversely, kicking tees designed for soccer style kickers are not ideal for straight-away kickers.
Thus, there is a need for improved kicking tees, including both kickoff tees and placement tees, that are suitable for use in conjunction with a variety of kicking techniques, provide adequate support for a football prior to a kick, and provide a free release of the football from the tee following the kick.